Vandkunsten Architects and researchers from DTU are jointly examining new digital tools that can provide information on rainwater flows—right from the initial sketches.
By Camilla Bitsch
The aim is to develop a better process for an architect’s early work when designing a new construction.
"To test software on rainwater movement and volume, which the architect can use in the preliminary work when designing new urban areas or buildings. DTU performs analyses and calculations, and Vandkunsten contributes with insight into their work process from current building projects," says Associate Professor Lotte Bjerregaard, DTU Civil Engineering.
"Based on this, we can take the first steps towards defining how a future design process should look, so as to help the architects arrive at the right decisions concerning climate proofing early in the work."
Calculations concerning climate proofing are incorporated too late
Right now, architects at design studios are all but completing their proposals before engineers are included to perform calculations on the desired construction. This often means that extensive changes have to subsequently be implemented in the sketched project at a time when this is expensive to carry out. This is the work process that this project will attempt to change, so that climate proofing data is incorporated as early as the initial phase of the construction process.
"It's very attractive for us to participate in a project in collaboration with researchers from DTU, allowing us to help influence the contents and function of a future digital tool. We believe that we are quite far ahead in relation to the work with climate proofing, and we hope that a new tool can enable us to offer even better advice in the area," explains Thomas Nybo Rasmussen, Landscape Architect and partner at Vandkunsten.
He adds that Vandkunsten—being a relatively small company that does not employ any engineers—would not have been able to carry out such development work. The company was therefore quick to agree to a collaboration with DTU concerning the VIS project. VIS is financed by the EU and regional development funds from the Vækstforum Hovedstaden (Growth Forum of the Capital Region).
Contact Landscape Architect and partner Thomas Nybo Rasmussen, and Vandkunsten, email: tnr@vandkunst.dk, tel.: 26 81 62 10.